Ventilating exhaust fans, such as those typically installed in bathrooms, draw air from within a space and pass the exhausted air out to another location, such as by passing the exhausted air through a vent in the gable or roof of a building. Exhaust fans can include a rotating fan wheel having a plurality of vanes that are rotated in a housing to draw an inward airflow from the space through a housing inlet and push an outward airflow through a housing outlet to the other location. Exhaust fans are typically mounted in an aperture of a wall or ceiling of the structure separating the space and the other location by mounting the housing to wall or ceiling joists or other structure in the wall or ceiling.
The location within the wall or ceiling and structure of exhaust fans makes exhaust fans attractive for the inclusion of other user functions that could benefit from the position of the exhaust fans with respect to the user and/or the convenient availability of a user-remote power source. However, most commercially available fans only have ventilation functionally or limited integrated lighting. Moreover, the mounting of the housing within the wall or ceiling aperture makes removing and replacing an installed ventilation fan to install additional functions or generally repair the fan difficult and time consuming. The removal and replacement of the exhaust fan can also require dis-connection and re-connection of the building power supply and installed ductwork for conveying air to and away from the exhaust fan further complicating the replacement process.
Overview
The present inventors have recognized, among other things, that a problem to be solved can include replacing damaged components or upgrading existing components of ventilating exhaust fans without removing or replacing the entire fan assembly, which often requires extensive labor and often damages the surrounding building structure. In an example, the present subject matter can provide a solution to this problem, such as by a ventilation assembly having a main housing mountable within an aperture of a ceiling, wall or other building structure. The main housing can have an inlet opening corresponding to the size of the aperture in the ceiling, wall or building structure. A fan assembly having a releasable mount can be inserted through the inlet opening to mount the fan assembly within the main housing. The fan assembly can be mounted within the main housing prior to installation of the main housing and installed with the main housing or after installation of the main housing by inserting the fan assembly through the aperture and inlet opening. This modular arrangement allows the fan assembly to be removed and repaired or replaced without removing the main housing, which is often the most arduous and difficult task as the surrounding structure must often be damaged to access the fasteners securing the main housing.
In an example, the ventilation assembly can also include an accessory component having an accessory mount for releasably interfacing with a positioning mount on a motor mount plate of the fan assembly. The engagement of the accessory mount and the positioning mount positions the accessory component against the motor mount plate of the fan assembly for receiving fasteners to fix the accessory component to the motor mount plate. The arrangement allows the accessory component to be mounted to the fan assembly after installation of the fan assembly in the main housing when the motor mount plate can be oriented in an orientation ordinarily difficult for installation of the accessory component. Similarly, the accessory mount can be disengaged from the positioning mount to remove the accessory component from the motor mount plate.
In an example, a method of mounting a ventilation assembly can include providing a main housing having a housing wall defining an interior space and an inlet opening. The method can also include providing a fan assembly including a fan and a motor mount plate. The method can also include positioning the main housing within an aperture of a building structure such that the inlet opening faces the aperture and inserting the fan assembly through the inlet opening such that the motor mount plate engages the housing wall.
In at least one example, the method can also include providing an accessory component having an accessory mount, the motor mount plate also including a positioning mount. The method can also include releasably engaging the accessory mount to the positioning mount to position the accessory component against the motor mount plate and inserting at least one fastener through the accessory mount to secure the accessory component to the motor mount plate. The accessory mount can include a hook element insertable into a receptacle defined by the positioning mount to releasably engage the accessory component to the motor mount plate.
In an example, a ventilation assembly can include a main housing having a housing wall defining an interior space and an inlet opening. The inlet opening corresponds to the cross-sectional area of the interior space defined by the housing wall. The ventilation assembly can also include a fan assembly including a fan and a motor mount plate having a releasable mount. The fan assembly is insertable through the inlet opening such that the motor plate engages the housing wall, the releasable mount being configured to receive at least one fastener to engage the fan assembly to the main housing.
In at least one example, the ventilation assembly can also include an accessory component having an accessory mount. The motor mount plate can also include a positioning mount engagable to the accessory mount to retain the accessory component proximate the motor mount plate. The accessory component can receive at least one fastener to mount the accessory component to the motor mount plate. The engagement of the accessory mount and the positioning mount maintain the position of the accessory component during insertion of the fastener. The accessory mount can include a hook element insertable into a corresponding receptacle of the motor mount plate to position the accessory component proximate the motor mount plate.
A ventilation assembly kit can include a main housing having a housing wall defining an interior space and an inlet opening. The inlet opening can correspond to the cross-sectional area of the interior space defined by the housing wall. The ventilation assembly can also include a fan assembly having a fan and a motor mount plate having a releasable mount and a positioning mount. The releasable mount can be configured to receive at least one fastener to mount the fan assembly to the main housing. The ventilation assembly can also include an accessory component having an accessory mount engagable to the positioning mount.
In an example, a method of mounting a ventilation assembly can include providing a main housing having a housing wall defining an interior space and an inlet opening and positioning the main housing within an aperture of a building structure such that the inlet opening faces the aperture. The method can also include providing a fan assembly including a fan and a motor mount plate and inserting the fan assembly through the inlet opening such that the motor mount plate engages the housing wall. The motor mount plate can also include a positioning mount. The method can also include providing an accessory component having an accessory mount and inserting the accessory component through the inlet opening. The method can also include releasably engaging the accessory mount to the positioning mount to position the accessory component against the motor mount plate.
In at least one example, the method can also include inserting at least one fastener through the accessory mount to secure the accessory component to the motor mount plate. The method can also include removing each fastener inserted through the accessory mount and disengaging the accessory component from the motor mount plate. The method can also include providing a second accessory component having a second accessory mount and releasably engaging the second accessory mount to the positioning mount to position the second accessory component against the motor mount plate.
In an example, a ventilation assembly can include a main housing having a housing wall defining an interior space and an inlet opening. The inlet opening can correspond to the cross-sectional area of the interior space defined by the housing wall. The ventilation assembly can also include a fan assembly including a fan and a motor mount plate having a releasable mount and a positioning mount. The fan assembly is insertable through the inlet opening such that the motor plate engages the housing wall. The releasable mount can be configured to receive at least one fastener to engage the fan assembly to the main housing. The ventilation assembly can include an accessory component having an accessory mount engagable to the positioning mount to retain the accessory component proximate the motor mount plate.
In at least one example, the accessory component is configured to receive at least one fastener to mount the accessory component to the motor mount plate. The engagement of the accessory mount and the positioning mount can maintain the position of the accessory component during insertion of the fastener. In at least one example, the ventilation assembly can also include a second accessory component having a second accessory mount. Each fastener is removable from the accessory mount to disengage the accessory component from the positioning mount such that the second accessory mount can be engaged to the motor mount plate.
This overview is intended to provide an overview of subject matter of the present patent application. It is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation of the present subject matter. The detailed description is included to provide further information about the present patent application.